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Bloodlines

The alien creatures known only as the "Bloodlines Parasites" were a race of highly advanced and ferocious dragon-like beasts that came to Earth during the events of "Bloodlines". The parasites hailed from a Pocket Universe in which their race had extinguished all life, with the exception of a man known as Pax. Although seven parasites were originally sent in their spacecraft, only six crash-landed on Earth after "Slodd" was killed by Lobo and their hull blown open by him and Layla. They fed on human spinal fluids, necessary and were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people before their defeat at the hands of the world's superheroes. Although the vast majority of people were simply killed by the Parasites feeding on them, a number of previously dormant Metahumans had the attacks activate their metagene, granting a sizable number of previously normal civilians with new-found superpowers. These individuals called themselves "New Bloods".

Ultimately, the Parasites sacrificed themselves to birth a creature of their race known as "The Taker", a gigantic destructive monstrosity capable of spawning many more parasites, and causing the death of entire worlds. Although the Taker seemingly defeated the majority of all of Earth's heroes with the exception of Superman, he was ultimately defeated by a massive team-up of all of the New Bloods created by the Parasites. Using the power channeling abilities of Joe Public and directing all of their energies into Anima's Animus construct, the Taker was beaten and flung into the sun by several of Earth's Green Lanterns shortly afterwards.

Vril Dox of L.E.G.I.O.N. expressed regret at not being able to perform an autopsy on the beast. But it was left uncertain as to whether or not more Parasites had escaped from the Pocket Universe into the outer one, and Pax made it his mission to hunt down and kill any more of them, teaming up with L.E.G.I.O.N. and using his metahuman ability to sense and detect them.